


The Course of Anniversary Plans and First-Time Babysitters

by kaleinope



Series: Blue is the Loveliest Color [2]
Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec tries to be romantic, F/M, Family Fluff, Jace sucks at babysitting, M/M, Malec, Malec Fluff, Some Clace, and also domestic, everyone is happy, feels and stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-06-01 15:44:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6526243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaleinope/pseuds/kaleinope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>“Alec, relax.” Jace patted Alec on the shoulder. “We know how to look after a baby. You just hang them out of a window when they start to cry, right?”</em>
  <br/>
  <em>“You're not funny.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The one where some Shadowhunters realize how domestic their lives are becoming, Clary and Jace try their best at babysitting, and Alec and Magnus celebrate many (mostly) happy years together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Course of Anniversary Plans and First-Time Babysitters

**Author's Note:**

> This is kinda the first time I'm switching pov's, but I felt like I needed to do it for this particular idea.  
> I'm not used to writing Clace or Clary's pov, so I'm sorry in advance if it's not up to standard xD I tried my best. For some reason, I wanted two kinds of stories to run parallel here. Both Alec's and Clary's lives have changed a lot, especially in regards to love life/family life, and I wanted to explore that.

If the Alec Lightwood of several years prior had been asked where he saw his life going, he would have responded with a pretty generic answer: keep training to reach his physical peak; meet a Shadowhunter girl his parents would approve of, and marry her; run the institute. A normal, sensible goal, with no room for selfish whims and desires. Living under Clave and Covenant for the rest of his life, never toeing the line.

It would have never occurred to him that he'd be spending Thursday evenings in the apartment of a Warlock (who he loved, and with whom he actually shared the apartment, by this point), sitting opposite a werewolf and a vampire- a vampire who bounced a baby in her lap. _His_ baby. Alec's child.

He certainly never thought he'd be as happy with his life as he was, right then.

Thursday nights followed a sort of pattern: discussing the Downworld, resolving issues over Chinese takeout (the dinners at their meetings were getting progressively less formal- not that Alec minded), talking to Lily and Maia like they were old friends, Magnus's hand resting on his knee in a rather domestic show of affection. Recently, a little blue warlock had been added to this routine.

Max giggled loudly just then, patting his hands against Lily's pale cheeks.

“Lily Lily Li-ly!” he said, the name gurgled and unpractised, but conveying Max's delight nonetheless. He absolutely adored his fathers' vampire friend, and had added her name to the short list of words he knew within a month of knowing her (Lily was infinitely smug about this).

“That's me.” Lily cooed, snapping her fangs at the baby. “You love me, don't you? Yes you do.”

“Should I be worried about you stealing our child?” Magnus asked, now tapping a light rhythm on Alec's knee.

“Of course you should be worried,” Maia spoke up, draining the last of her wine (her first and only glass for the night), “she's probably already made plans to disappear into the night with him.”

“Hm, yes.” Lily said absently, too absorbed in Max's cuteness to argue. Max's pudgy fingers were curling upwards, near to Lily's fangs- mindfully, Lily kept pulling back before the baby could nick himself on them.

Alec smiled, curling his fingers around Magnus's, stilling their drumming movement. Magnus ran his thumb over Alec's family ring, instead.

“So, I'm guessing we have no real pressing issues to discuss, tonight.” Alec brushed aside empty takeout cartons, to get a proper look at the map of New York rolled out on the table. They hadn't made any sort of progress yet.

“I've got nothing to report.” Maia shrugged. “Unless you count the weekly pub brawl. It's actually been so quiet that the pack's getting restless.”

“And Elliott is just getting on my nerves, like always.” Lily looked away from Max long enough to speak up. Max tugged at her earring, demanding her attention.

“The fey have stopped dealing fruit in the park, from what I heard.” Alec raised an eyebrow. “So what's he done this time?”

Lily pressed her lips into a thin line, like a dark slash on parchment. “It's stupid, and I'd rather not go into it- but let's just call it accident number twenty-seven.”

“If there are still fey selling fruit to mundanes, Lily, we need to know.”  
“It's not like that. I handled it.” Lily said, and returned her attention to Max. She pressed kisses to his cheek, murmuring things like 'I could eat you up, yes yes yes'.

Alec didn't press her on the subject; he trusted her, by now, and he knew she'd never keep a real problem from him.

Reminded of 'real problems', Alec realised there was still a conversation he had to have with Lily. He just needed to speak to her alone, somehow, without attracting attention.

“How about some coffee?” he said, and everyone nodded their approval. He reached out and caught Magnus's other hand, before he could summon any stolen Starbucks.

“I'll do it.” Alec said. He tried to limit the amount of times Magnus snapped things into existence in front of Max; it gave their son too many ideas.

“I don't know why you insist on unnecessary effort.” Magnus cast his brilliantly yellow eyes towards the ceiling. Alec laughed.

“It's called _not_ being lazy, Magnus.” he said, and his lover's lips curled upwards. They'd had this exact exchange too many times to count.

“Lily?” Alec stood and inclined his head towards the kitchen, silently asking for assistance. Lily sighed and reluctantly passed Max onto Maia, who handled the baby like he was a bomb; careful, afraid he might detonate and start to cry in an instant. Max, however, remained docile, so Maia's shoulders slumped and she held him a little easier.

“Can you say Maia?” she asked Max, “Mai-a.” she drew out the syllables as long as she could. Max blinked owlishly.

“Lily!” he said, instead, and pulled at one of Maia's braids.

“He doesn't like me.” Maia stated, and Magnus laughed, and Lily opened her mouth to make some kind of comment, but Alec pulled her into the kitchen before she could.

Lily leaned against the fridge, watching Alec retrieve four mugs from a cabinet. She opened the door of the refrigerator and pulled something out: a small bottle of blood she'd brought for the evening. She twirled the glass vial between her fingers.

“You look like you want to ask me something.” she said, lazily.

“I do.” Alec turned the coffee machine on and leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his chest. “It's mine and Magnus's anniversary this weekend- which you might already know, because Magnus can't really shut up about it.”

“Ah, yes.” Lily poured the blood into one of the coffee cups. “He's only brought it up about, I don't know, sixteen times.”

“Anyway, he thinks we're not doing anything. I told him I just wanted a quiet evening at home.” This was where Alec's cheeks started to flush. “But, um. I've made...plans. To surprise him.”

“Since when are _you_ so romantic?” Lily snickered.

“Just this once, okay? Let it go.”

“So, what's this got to do with me?” she asked him, licking a stripe of red fluid off of her finger.

“I need you to babysit Max on Saturday night. Please?”

Alec was under a lot of pressure; he'd never tried to plan anything along the lines of an anniversary before, and he needed everything to work out perfectly. He'd already asked his parents, as well as Izzy, if they were able to look after Max for him- but they'd apologised and told him they already had other plans. Lily was his last hope of a capable babysitter.

“Is that it?” Lily blinked. “I thought it was an emergency, or something.” she sighed and tilted her head, choppy bangs falling across her eyes as she looked at him. “You know I'd love to, Alec, but I can't. I still don't have a reliable second-in-command, so-”

Alec groaned, slouching against the counter in defeat. “Shit.”

“Why don't you ask Maia?”

“She's just going to give me the same answer as you.” Alec shook his head. “This means I have to ask Jace. And Clary,” he added, as an afterthought, “I'll have to ask the both of them.”

“So?”

“Trouble kind of _seeks_ those two out.” Alec said. “You really think I want to leave my son alone with that for too long?”

“Oh,” Lily clicked her tongue, “you worry too much.”

“Also, they don't have as much experience with children as you do.” Alec gave her an imploring look. “Are you sure you can't-”

“I _really_ can't, Alec.”

“Fine.” Alec resigned himself to the fact that he'd have to give his parabatai a call.

“Are you _growing_ the coffee beans, in there?” Magnus's lofty voice called from outside the kitchen. “We're not getting any younger.”

One would think immortality instilled patience in a person, but this wasn't always the case with Magnus.

Weirdly, that was one of the reasons Alec loved him.

* * *

 

“ _Yes!_ ” Jace's voice startled Clary, and she jolted into a straighter sitting position. The charcoal pencil between her fingers slid across the page, and a large, dark smudge split the face she was sketching in two. She sighed and ripped the page out of her sketchbook, glancing up at her boyfriend as he re-entered the bedroom.

“I'm guessing Alec's call involved good news.” Clary said.

“We get to babysit Max this weekend.” Jace threw himself onto her bed, and she wasn't sure she'd ever seen him grin so wide. “He asked _us._ I feel like such an uncle.”

“'I'm dating an uncle' doesn't really have the best ring to it.” Clary tapped her pencil against the blank page, pressing the sketchbook against her knees. Absently, she let her charcoal glide over the page, creating free-flowing lines.

“I feel like I'll grow to be the best of uncles.” Jace said seriously. “I'm going to pull off the grey beard and receding hairline very well- you'll see.”

“Can't wait.” Clary laughed. She drew the beginnings of a male figure. “I still don't get why you're so excited, though.”

“It's good practice, don't you think?”

Clary's hand stilled. Her pencil pressed too hard against the page, and the tip of it broke off. “Jace.”

“Oh, come on. You love Max.” Jace tapped the underside of her chin, and she looked up. “And we're going to have kids _someday_.”

“Yeah, it's just...” Clary wasn't sure why the idea made her so nervous. Maybe it was that she wasn't very used to children. Or maybe it was because she still felt like a child, herself, even as she was nearing her twenties. And maybe- and this possibility seemed the most likely- maybe, she was scared of raising a Shadowhunter child, in the Shadowhunter world, the way she'd be expected to.

Clary cleared her throat and tucked her pencil behind her ear. “That's a problem for, like, five years from now, okay?”

The disappointment in Jace was instantly clear; his gold eyes darkened, but he smiled and tried to hide it. Clary swallowed against the lump in her throat. She knew Shadowhunters started having children at a young age, but she just couldn't do that- not yet. Maybe that was why Jace was so excited. He obviously thought taking care of Max might convince her. She knew she wouldn't be so easily swayed; she tried to picture their own child, but struggled. She definitely wasn't thinking about how a daughter might look with Jace's blonde curls- not at all.

“For now, it's great being the fun aunt and uncle.” Clary ran her thumb over Jace's cheekbone, leaving a smudge of charcoal against the skin. “Now. Lie still so I can draw you.”

“ _Again_?” Jace sighed and lay back against the pillows like it was the greatest chore in the world, but Clary knew better. She winked at him and ran her pencil over a new page, and she definitely, _absolutely,_ wasn't thinking about raising a little girl with golden hair and golden eyes.

* * *

 

The day of the Anniversary started with Max crying.  
The sound of their son's distress woke them before the sun had even thought to come up; the clock told Alec that it was four AM as he kissed Magnus sleepily, said 'happy anniversary', and peeled himself out of the bed to check on Max (who turned out to be hungry).

“It's too early for breakfast, Max.” Alec said, lifting his son from the crib. Max rested his forehead on Alec's shoulder, mumbling the unhappiest of noises as he clutched a tattered blankey to his chest (the blanket had seen its better days. Magnus had tried to remove the scorch marks with magic, but it turned out that burns left by magical fire weren't easy to get out. Max, however, wasn't willing to part with the worn-out piece of cloth).

“It's dad's and papa's anniversary today,” he told Max softly, “so you should be happy.”

Max mumbled something that Alec couldn't quite make out, as he walked into the kitchen. Keeping Max supported on one hip, with an arm around him, Alec used his free hand to go through the line of baby foods in the pantry. He lifted one of the jars to show Max.

“Apples. Yes?”

“Yes.” Max echoed in a mumble, the last phoneme coming out as more of a 'sh' than an 's'. Alec smiled and kissed his son's forehead.

“Can you say 'apple'?” he asked, settling Max into his high chair. “Aa-puhl?”

Magnus walked in, then, hair in absolute disarray and draped in a bright purple dressing gown of the silk variety. He flicked a lazy finger, a barely-there movement, and the coffee machine whirred to life.

“Alexander, it's the crack of dawn. Our son doesn't want to learn new words at this hour.”

“It's never too early too learn.” Alec sat across from Max, opening the jar of baby food. “Is it, Blueberry?”

Magnus scoffed and pressed a kiss into Alec's hair and mumbled, “You're a square. Coffee?”

“Please.”

Magnus dropped a kiss onto Max's head, too, before moving over to the coffee machine. Alec kept quiet as he fed their son, falling into the usual mechanical motions- until Max reached for the spoon. Alec handed it over. He watched as Max started to feed himself, unaided (a rather messy, clumsy process- but a show of independence that made Alec proud, nonetheless).

“Slow down, Max.” Alec leaned forward to wipe some of the purée off of Max's cheek.

“As tempting as it is to crawl back into bed, right now,” Magnus slid a mug of black coffee across the table for Alec, “I do have some work I should probably get started on.”

Another warlock had asked Magnus a handful of weeks ago to analyse and translate a set of texts for him. It was taking Magnus a little longer than usual- due to the fact that ninety percent of his days now revolved around a baby.

Alec considered complaining about Magnus working through their anniversary, but decided to keep quiet before he accidentally gave away that he'd made plans.

“Good luck.” Alec said instead.

“This is the part where you tell me it's okay to sleep for a few more hours, if I want to.”

“You can't keep putting it off,” Alec smiled, “get to work.”

“I'd be a lot happier if you were saying that in a bedroom context.” And with that, Magnus swept from the room.

“Papa really shouldn't make comments like that around you.” Alec told Max, who was too busy chewing on his spoon to pay attention to whatever sexual innuendo his father had come up with for the day. “Thankfully, they still go right over your head, huh?”

Max gurgled and pulled the spoon out of his mouth, flinging it forward. Alec narrowly dodged the apple purée that came flying; the baby food hit the wall opposite, staining the paisley patterned wallpaper.

Alec sighed. For the third time in a month, Magnus was going to have to redecorate the kitchen.

* * *

 

It was nearing three in the afternoon when Magnus realised he was making absolutely zero progress; his mind was elsewhere. He waved a hand and papers fluttered and books snapped shut, arranging themselves in neat piles.

Magnus leaned back in his chair, pushing himself from the desk. He'd been thinking a lot.

He and Alec had agreed on a quiet anniversary, this year. No plans, no gifts. Magnus hadn't minded too much, at first- but he found himself increasingly agitated about it. He felt like he had to do _something_ for Alexander. Whether it was magicking a thousand roses into their bedroom, or enchanting another Lightwood weapon, or letting Alec top tonight (even though, technically, it _was_ Magnus's turn). He dismissed all ideas as soon as they crossed his mind; if Alec had insisted on nothing, he'd appreciate it if Magnus stuck to that agreement. He also doubted the Shadowhunter would be very appreciative of a grand romantic gesture like a thousand roses (Alec was a man of simple tastes. Magnus loved this about him).

Magnus did, at least, want to spend most of the day with his boyfriend instead of with dreadfully boring, Welsh druid texts (he assumed it was Welsh- that's what the barely-decipherable language was closest to).

When he entered their bedroom, he found Alec going through his closet. This was a rare sight, as Alec had told him once that he considered the tsunami of color that was Magnus's wardrobe to be terrifying.

“Alexander, what on _earth_?”

Alec visibly jumped when he heard Magnus- but, to his credit, continued to rummage through Magnus's neon shirts as if he was meant to be there. “I think one of my shirts is in your closet.”

“Which one?” Magnus stepped over the scattered baby toys on the carpet, approaching Alec.

“Um,” Alec gnawed at his chapped lip. “The...red one.”

“In all the years we've been together, I've never seen you in a red shirt, Alec.” Magnus said. “I'm fairly certain you don't own a single article of clothing in that color.” he leaned against the wall, inspecting a glittery nail.

“Oh...right. I must be thinking of your shirt, then.” Alec kept his arms inside the closet. “Your red shirt. I, um, need it.” Magnus raised an eyebrow, but decided to drop the subject.

“Where's Max?” he asked, instead.

“Taking a nap.”

“Well, then, I'm going to put on a movie for us in the living room.” He turned to leave and then, unable to resist: “Come out of the closet, dear.”

“Very funny.”

* * *

 

Alec stared at himself in the bathroom mirror, adjusting the form-fitting shirt. He'd forgotten how uncomfortable something so tight could be. The shirt was black, at least, but across the front of it sequinned letters spelt out 'blink if you want me'. Not for the first time, Alec had to commend Magnus for wearing this sort of thing on a daily basis.

He took a deep breath, tamping down his nerves. He hoped to the Angel his attempt at romance would translate well, and stepped out into the bedroom before he could change his mind.

Magnus was sitting on the bed with Max, reading a Dr Seuss book (a gift from Clary) in animated voices. Alec had to pause in the doorway for a second, unwilling to interrupt. He smiled fondly as Magnus used his magic to create projected cats with little top-hats, dancing through the air around Max's head. Max waved his hands, giggling when his fists passed right through the cats.

“Having fun?” Alec said, after a minute. Magnus looked up- and his expression was an immediate mixture of amusement and confusion.

“That shirt,” Magnus said. “any particular reason you're wearing it?”

“I lied to you.” Alec admitted, shoulders hunching forward sheepishly. “I made plans.”

“Plans that involve you wearing my clothes?” Magnus's smile kept getting wider.

“I'm sure you remember our first date, ever,” Alec said, tugging at the hem of the shirt, “because I definitely do. I thought we could recreate it.” Magnus had gone quiet, staring at him with widened eyes. Alec felt himself blush as he went on: “So I found the shirt you lent me, and I made reservations at that Ethiopian-Italian place. It's a bit of a dumb idea,” he was starting to stammer, “but I thought of it myself, for once, and I'm not usually romantic so I thought you might appreciate-”

“Alec,” Magnus interrupted smoothly, “have I ever told you how much I completely adore you?”

This was a good sign; Alec smiled before he could stop himself. “I love you too.”

A sound at the front door distracted him; someone was knocking and- judging by the insistence behind the noise- had been knocking for a while.

“Oh.” Alec said. “Jace and Clary are here.” At Magnus's questioning glance, he explained: “I asked them to babysit.”

“Wait, we're leaving already?” Magnus looked mildly horrified. “You haven't given me any time to get ready!”

Alec gave his boyfriend a once-over; Magnus was dressed in tight red pants and a pearl-white button-up shirt. His eyes were lined silver and his hair was styled in precise spikes. In Alec's eyes, he looked perfect.

“You look ready to me.” Alec said, simply, and turned and made his way to the front door.

“What the actual hell are you wearing.” Jace said, the minute the door was opened.

“Hello to you, too.” Alec peered past Jace to see a large cardboard box, a shock of red hair just visible over the top of it. “Hey, Clary.”

Clary hefted the box in greeting. “Babies play with legos, right?”

“Uh, yeah, just don't leave Max alone with the pieces lying around- choking hazards.” he raised an eyebrow at Jace as he let the two of them inside. “Why aren't _you_ carrying the box?”

“Clary insisted. She likes doing things herself.” Jace said. “She also likes to prove to me on a regular basis that she's stronger than she looks.”

Clary set the box down, looking smug. “I remind him daily.”

“Seriously, though. Are you wearing one of Magnus's shirts?” Jace stared pointedly at the words stretching over Alec's chest.

“I am.” he said. “You aren't getting any more explanation than that.”

“Hello, biscuit. Golden boy.” Magnus greeted breezily, joining them from the bedroom. Alec noticed that he'd changed his outfit in favor of a patterned blazer, dark pants, and a purple shirt. A long necklace glittered around his neck. Alec wasn't too surprised at how quickly Magnus had changed (he reckoned magic would have been involved). Max was on Magnus's hip, twisting his little hands in the necklace.

“Okay, so, Max's dinner is an hour from now,” Alec started to list the things they needed to know, “and his bedtime is at seven. He can't fall asleep without his blankey and he likes the curtains open, so don't close them. Don't let him watch anything on the TV that isn't, you know, kid friendly, because-”

“Alec, relax.” Jace patted Alec on the shoulder. “We know how to look after a baby. You just hang them out of a window when they start to cry, right?”

“You're not funny.”

“It'll be _fine_.” Jace took Max from Magnus, throwing his nephew into the air and catching him like it was second nature. Max's response was to laugh, delighted. “See?”

“Go. Enjoy your evening.” Clary smiled, “You know I'm more than capable of looking after the two of them.” she gestured to Max and Jace.

“Thank you, Clarissa.” Magnus kissed Clary's cheek swiftly. He reached for Alec's hand, and Alec slid his fingers through Magnus's just before he was pulled out of the apartment and down the stairs. He was clearly eager to go.

Alec loved being able to excite Magnus.

* * *

 

“See this? This is how you handle a blade.” Jace gripped the seraph blade, keeping it high out of Max's reach. The baby's eyes followed the movement of the shining weapon, wide with fascination. “It's easy. Think you can do it, Max?”

“Oh my god, Jace!” Clary crossed the room in an instant, to punch at Jace's shoulder. “Put that away!”

Jace blinked and sheathed the blade, tucking it back into his combat boot (he'd come straight from a demon hunt earlier that day, and was still fully dressed in his gear). “I'm trying to teach him stuff.”

“I'm pretty sure a baby doesn't need to learn _proper sword techniques.”_ Clary frowned. “He barely knows how to walk.”

“So?”

“Alec would kill you.” Clary stated. She scooped Max into her arms, settled onto the couch, and reached for the television remote. “How about we do something safe, Max? We could watch your favorite movie.” she kissed his dark curls.

Jace threw himself onto the couch next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “What are we watching?”

“Well, Magnus said that Max loves something called _The Pirate Fairy_ , so.” Clary said. She smiled when she saw that the movie was already loaded in the DVD player. “Here we go.” she pressed play.

“You can't tell me this is better than swords.” Jace complained, and Clary shushed him. Max was leaning forward in Clary's lap, intent on the TV screen.

“He's so cute.” she whispered.

“And you're telling me you _don't_ want one of your own?” Jace murmured next to her ear.

Clary couldn't believe he was bringing it up _again_. She turned her head fractionally to glare at him, and had to suppress the urge to elbow him in the ribs.

“Not now, Jace.”

He raised his hands defensively, and Clary felt her heart soften (she had a weak spot for his hands. They were strong, and lean- piano player hands- and the tanned skin was marked with silvery scar lines). “I'm just saying.”

“Every time you bring it up, that's another year longer you'll have to wait for a child.”

Jace snorted. “Please.”

“I'm serious.” Max was squirming to get off her lap; she set him down and he crawled across the carpet, pulling himself up right in front of the TV. He pressed his hands to the screen, and Clary wondered if the baby thought he could actually touch Tinkerbell.

“What are you so worried about? Babies are a cinch.” Jace pointed to his nephew, “I mean, just look at that angel.”  
“Six years.”

“ _Clary_. I just want to talk about it-”  
“Jace!” Clary shot forward in her seat with a gasp.

“Let me finish-”

“No, Jace, the _TV is floating.”_

* * *

 

“I wonder how it's going at home.”

Surprisingly, this question was posed by Magnus. He inspected his reflection in the silverware, the picture of nonchalance, but Alec picked up on the undercurrent of worry in Magnus's voice.

“I'm sure everything's all right.” Alec checked his cellphone, reassuring them both. “They would have called, otherwise.”

“Although, it would be rather apt if we _did_ get a phonecall about an emergency.” Magnus smiled, the curl of his lips amused as he made a reference to their first date.

Alec laughed. “I'd prefer it if _this_ date went off without a hitch, actually.”

Magnus reached across the table and slid his hand into Alec's. “A disastrous date makes for a memorable date.”

Alec stroked his thumb over Magnus's, glancing around the restaurant; the atmosphere was warm, and pleasantly quiet. They had one of the best tables (which Alec had made sure of), and none of the Downworlder staff or patrons were giving him unnecessary grief.

As if reading his mind, Magnus said, “You're kind of a celebrity, in the Downworld. They respect you now.”

“No,” Alec shook his head, unsure why he felt embarrassed. He pulled a breadstick from the basket and broke it in two. “Not a 'celebrity'.” he hated that word.

“It's true. You've helped both the vampire clan and the werewolf pack more than you've needed to.”

Alec shrugged, his shoulders just reaching his ears. “It's my job.”

“It isn't, not really, but it's so admirable that you think it is.” Magnus lifted his menu, gaze flicking over the list of dishes lazily. “What are you going to order?”

Alec fumbled with his own menu, feeling oddly flattered and amazed (for the millionth time that week) at how vastly different his life had become in just a few years.

“Nothing spicy.” he said.

* * *

 

The TV was beyond repair. Clary had tried to distract Max for a solid half hour, while Jace hovered underneath the flying television set, ready to catch it. Eventually, the television had flown straight into a wall with a deafening _cras_ _h_.

“Is it okay to swear in front of the baby?” Jace asked, nudging a piece of the TV with his shoe. Clary shook her head and covered Max's ears for good measure.

“I'm sure Alec and Magnus won't mind,” she said, “if we explain what happened.”

Jace laughed humourlessly.

“Oh, damn, Max should be asleep.” Clary exclaimed, after checking the time. “C'mon, you.” She picked Max up and got to her feet. Unfortunately, Max still seemed very energetic; he pulled at one of Clary's curls, bouncing himself in her arms. He used his other hand to point at Jace, who brightened up immediately.

“You want Uncle Jace?” Clary cooed, passing the baby to her boyfriend. “Uncle Jace should sing you a lullaby.” she gave Jace a pointed look.

He stared at her helplessly. “I don't really know any-”

“Jace. We have to get him to sleep.”

Jace sighed, and started patting Max's back in soothing circles. “Fine.” he glanced up at the ceiling, thinking. After a minute he began to sing, settling on a familiar tune:

“Hush little warlock, don't say a word, Jace is going to buy you a hunting bird.

“And if that hunting bird doesn't work, um- your daddy's gonna kick me like a jerk-”

Clary had to interrupt. “That's terrible.”

“You know what,” Jace sighed. “I don't think a lullaby is going to help.” He peered at Max thoughtfully, who stared back at him with wide-awake, bright blue eyes.

“Clary, is there some kind of rune that might-”

“ _No._ ”

* * *

 

It took Alec and Magnus a while to actually enter their apartment, when they got home (they'd gotten wrapped up in each other against the front door. Magnus had tasted like wine, and oregano, and that familiar taste that was just uniquely _Magnus_ ). When they eventually made their way inside, Alec froze.

Their television set lay in the corner of the room, shattered. A large scorch mark ran along the living room carpet. And then there was Jace and Max, asleep on the couch as if all was right with the world. Clary was curled up in one of the armchairs; she jumped to her feet the second she saw Alec.

“Oh,” Magnus's face fell when he noticed the broken TV. “My _Project Runway_ reruns.”

“You're back.” Clary's face was almost as red as her hair. She wrung her hands together. “Um. Max's magic got a little...out of hand.”

“We see that.” Alec shrugged out of his coat, and helped Magnus take his off, as well. He noticed Clary's anxious expression and added, “It's okay. Really.”

“Yes. It isn't your fault, biscuit.” Magnus was already snapping a brand new carpet and television into the lounge.

“Okay,” Clary breathed out, relieved. “How...how was your evening?”

“Amazing, until a nixie decided to cause havok in the restaurant.” Alec said.

“But that just made the date more fun.” Magnus's cat eyes gleamed with sheer delight. “Alec stepped in and smoothed it over. It was sexy, how well he handled it.”

“Way to go.” Clary winked at Alec, who responded with an amused eye-roll. He glanced at Jace; he was still fast asleep, a careful arm draped around the sleeping baby on his chest.

“He makes that look so natural.” Alec laughed under his breath. “He probably can't wait to be a dad- right, Clary?”

Clary's reaction was unexpected; her body stiffened, her smile faded. “Yeah.”

“Something wrong?” he asked, just as Magnus said: “What's the matter?”

A small smile returned to Clary's face at their simultaneous concern. “I'm fine. Jace just… he keeps bringing up starting a family, lately, and...”

“It makes you nervous.” Magnus nodded sympathetically. “Clary, do you think _I_ was ready when Max first came into our lives? Not at all. Thing is, you'll never feel ready. You'll never really _know_ \- not until it happens. And when it does happen, the time will be right.”

Alec, although slightly taken aback that Magnus had willingly shared this, had to agree.

“And,” he said, “if you can handle Jace, you can handle anything. Especially a baby.”

Clary's smile grew. She looked down at her shoes and mumbled a 'thank you'.

“Don't thank us,” Magnus said, keeping his tone light. “Just make us the godfathers.”

A genuine laugh bubbled from Clary's chest at this. “Right.”

Judging by how grateful she seemed, Alec guessed she'd been needing to hear something along the line of Magnus's advice for awhile.

Alec loved that Magnus always knew exactly what to say.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay this happened because I absolutely love writing this kind of fluff.  
> Also in my mind Jace would be so excited to be a daddy. Makes him kinda ignorant, here, almost- but he'd never actually force Clary into the whole parenthood thing. She's reluctant now, but I see her as eventually becoming a mother, many years down the line, and being very happy about it.
> 
> my tumblr: @kaleinope  
> You can inbox me on my tumblr if you have any prompts or oneshots you'd like to see me write :) Because honestly, I love to write for you guys <3 So yeah, don't hesitate!


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